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"ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END..." Or so the popular saying goes. And last week, the Fed reiterated once again that their Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) purchase program...the program that has helped keep home loan rates low for much of the last year...will end on March 31, 2010 as previously stated. Here's the lowdown on what this means, and all the latest news impacting home loan rates and the markets.Last Wednesday during their regularly scheduled meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Federal Reserve kept the Fed Funds Rate unchanged. But history has shown that when the Fed has left rates too low for an extended period of time, there is a price to be paid, via higher inflation. Yet if the accommodation is removed too early, it can derail an already fragile recovery. The Fed continues to walk this tightrope, trying to get it "just right."Along with this decision, the Fed emphasized and reminded that their MBS purchase program will still end …

U.S. News Ranks Colorado Springs as One of the Best Places to Live Its location in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains puts Colorado Springs near what may be the most famous American mountain, Pikes Peak. The city began as a high-end resort town in the 1870s and was boosted by nearby gold and silver strikes. A later military boom laid the groundwork for a large high-tech industry, and fairly steady growth in tourism has been accompanied by an influx of evangelical Christians. The city's population of 396,145 lives in what is called an "alpine desert." That translates to a mild climate where temperature extremes are rare, with average January highs near 40 degrees and peak summer highs in the mid-80s.Pikes Peak and surrounding mountains dominate the city's vista and history. It was founded as an exclusive resort that later merged with the rougher mining-supply town of old Colorado City. Before the ore from nearby mines petered out, many who struck it rich built magni…

Move up, move down, move sideways; it just doesn't matter. Whichever direction you move, financially, you may still qualify for the new tax credit available to current homeowners. It is unfortunate that the credit has too often been characterized as a credit for "move-up" homeowners. The phrase carries the implication that the new home must cost more than the sale price of the former one. Indeed, even the November 6 White House Press Release said that the credit would be available to qualified homeowners who "wish to step up to a new home." Same implication.

So, it is worth emphasizing that the credit is equally available to homeowners who are moving down, cost-wise.

The move-down homebuyer is not an unusual phenomenon. For years retirees have been known to move from a larger home to one that is smaller and often less expensive. Moreover, it is reasonable to think that current economic conditions may lead to even more move-down buyers. Just as thousands of famili…

Happiest U.S. states are wealthy and tolerant By Jeanna Bryner Though you might not be able to run away from your problems, moving to another state could be good for the soul. New research suggests U.S. states with wealthier, better educated and more tolerant residents are also happier on average.The reasoning is that wealthy states can provide infrastructure and so it's easier for residents to get their needs met. In addition, states with a greater proportion of artists and gays would also be places where residents can freely express themselves.On average, well-being was highest in the Mountain states and West Coast states, followed by the Eastern Seaboard and then the Midwest and Southern states.

The researchers note that because a state scores high or low doesn't mean you could pluck out a resident and expect that person to be appropriately cheery or depressed. And not every state in the union sits exactly where you might expect on the list."We can only make generalizatio…

The Basics: Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit 2009/2010 Bringing the Dream of Homeownership Within Reach As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

Here is more information about how the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream. If you have specific questions or need additional information, please contact a tax professional or the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040.Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010…

RISMEDIA, December 12, 2009—Are you wondering how to survive this holiday season? Do you get caught up in the fast pace to the point of stress and exhaustion? What if, this year, you could create exactly what you want? How about transforming stress into joy? How about making more money, instead of going in the hole? Here are seven tips to help you thrive this holiday season- financially, emotionally, and energetically. Tip 1- Reclaim your right to have your own unique version of the holidays.What is the essence of this season for you? For me, it’s about the joy of giving. Guess what the essence of successful marketing is? You’re right, it’s also about giving your service with joy. The more you love what you’re doing and the more generous you are, the more clients, thus income, will be drawn to you. Each time you market yourself, remember: “You have a unique gift to give—you!” Remember to share this gift with enthusiasm, all year long. Tip 2- Serve your clients’ special needs.If you are …

If You Don't Buy a House Now, You're Stupid or Broke Interest rates are at historic lows but cyclical trends suggest they will soon rise. Home buyers may never see such a chance again, writes Marc Roth Well, you may not be stupid or broke. Maybe you already have a house and you don't want to move. Or maybe you're a Trappist monk and have forsworn all earthly possessions. Or whatever. But if you want to buy a house, now is the time, and if you don't act soon, you will regret it. Here's why: historically low interest rates.As of today, the average 30-year fixed-rate loan with no points or fees is around 5%. That, as a graph shows—which you can find on Mortgage-X.com—shows, is the lowest the rate has been in nearly 40 years.In fact, rates are so well below historic averages that it should make all current and prospective homeowners take notice of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.And it is exactly that, based on what the graph shows us. Let's look at the poin…

Colorado Springs-Area Home Sales Soar in November;Prices Up for the First Time in Two YearsBY: RICH LADEN --THE GAZETTE Here’s a good indication of what the federal government’s $8,000 tax credit has meant for the Colorado Springs-area housing market.Single-family home sales totaled 794 in November, soaring 59.1 percent when compared with the same month a year ago, according to a report Wednesday by the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors.It was the biggest percentage gain in monthly home sales during the last 15 years, the period for which association records were available.Another positive sign: the median price of homes sold in November increased 0.5 percent to $187,950 from the same month last year — the first year-over-year gain in monthly prices since July 2007.The figures reflect homes whose transactions were handled by association members; most of the deals took place in El Paso and Teller counties.Something to note, however: November’s sales and prices are being compared agains…

Do you often get sick in January or February? If so, what you do or don't do in December can help. This is a time of festivities- parties, great food, late nights, cold weather, and lots of sugar, candy, cookies and more.

Here are some tips to keep yourself healthy:

1. Eating a nourishing breakfast gives your body good fuel for the day, and even helps to keep you warm. This does not have to take long at all- most of these take 5 minutes- you can take it with you and eat on the way.

Examples: Eggs- (a perfect food)- especially if you can buy organic free range)Oatmeal- (the real rolled oats- not the sugar filled package) add your own sunflower seeds, walnuts, maple syrup, butter and cream)Soup- (Don't laugh) This makes a warming, nourishing breakfast in winter. Eating non-breakfast foods in the morning can give us more nutritional value than the cold sugar filled cereals so typical in …

In a major victory for NAHB that will boost the fledgling housing recovery and help struggling business owners nationwide, Congress last week approved legislation that will extend the first-time home buyer tax credit beyond its Nov. 30 deadline and expand it to a wider group of home buyers. The bill also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs). The legislation, which was signed into law by President Obama on Nov. 6, will extend the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed on by June 30. It has been expanded to include a new $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are purchasing a new principal residence. Existing home owners can claim the $6,500 tax credit if they have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight. In more good news, the income eligibility limits to claim the full cre…